Monday, December 5, 2011

Opportunity.

I really needed a haircut and this was supposed to be 'the place' to get a good one. Darren was vey polite and right on time. He told me that he was from Houston and had only recently moved to Dallas. He explained how it happened that he knew the salon owner. He said he liked Dallas so far, but missed his family. Thanksgiving was only a few days away and he looked forward to seeing them all.

For the life of me I can't remember how our conversation started but...Darren told me he thought he was a pretty good guy. I revealed to him the standard set by Jesus-perfection.

"Do you do this for a living?" Darren asked me.

"No but I am a Chaplain." At this he seemed to drop his guard. He looked a bit sadder.

"Well, you know some ministers say it's ok to be gay. So, I guess it's just who you talk to."

Darren had fallen into the trap of listening to others instead of searching out Truth for himself. "I would urge you to read the Bible yourself, Darren. God makes it very clear that it is wrong. But so are many things... we justify what we are comfortable with, while condemning others around us. That's why we must make sure that we are clear about what the rules are. God makes the rules about who will enter Heaven-not us. I mean you wouldn't let a stranger who knocks on your door come in and live with you just because someone else told him he could, would you?"

"No..."

Darren was finished with my hair. I gave him a good tip and a Second Greatest Lie Ever Told book. He is certainly fighting an uphill battle, but it is one he has been fighting for a long time.

Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.